GAZA Card. Pizzaballa among the victims of war. And Father Romanelli stays in Gaza

The spokesperson for the Patriarchate, Farid Jubran, told : the community “happy and surprised” by an “unexpected” visit resulting from the diplomatic work of the patriarchate. An “emergency” situation in which “food, doctors and medicines” are lacking. The humanitarian initiative of the Knights of Malta to respond to the needs of the population. The hug with the vice-parish priest and the Greek Orthodox bishop.

Jerusalem () – “Now I am here with you, I love you and I accompany you, I closely follow the news” coming from your community. “And rest assured that we work for a just, complete and true peace.” These are the words that the Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins, Card. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, led the faithful of the Gaza parish during the first visit that the cardinal – accompanied by the parish priest Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, who was also unable to reach the Sagrada Familia for months – made to the Strip. It was an unexpected two-day visit, but welcomed with joy by the hundreds of Christians who have been guests of the parish since the beginning of the conflict launched by Israel against Hamas, in response to the October 7 attack. They were very happy, surprised,” the patriarch’s spokesman, Farid Jubran, explains to , “very few knew it, the vice-parish priest [el padre Yusuf Asad] and a few more people, but everyone felt very happy and encouraged in this testimony of their faith.”

“The Gaza community is certainly not living in an easy situation” and a situation of “concern, fatigue, tension and uncertainty about what will happen in the future” prevails, Jubran continues, however “they have a lot of faith” that allows them to face difficulties. The emergency,” he adds, “is above all physical, due to the need for medicines, doctors, food. They don’t even have hygiene products, the necessities of daily life, which are missing and cannot be found. “Then there is the aspect of lack of belonging, because each person experiences the condition of refugee in a closed place and does not know what is happening outside, with their families, friends and relatives.”

According to data provided by the Patriarchate, there are currently at least 500 refugees in the parish compound of the Holy Family in Gaza, the vast majority of whom are Catholics. Another 200 are guests of the Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyry. Before the conflict broke out in October, there were 135 Catholics in the Strip, of which about 90 now remain after a small number managed to leave the war zone in recent weeks. In addition to the Card. Pizzaballa, since the first days of the conflict, Pope Francis himself has followed with attention and concern the evolution of the situation, making repeated calls for peace and maintaining daily contact with the vice-parish priest and the nuns who have remained in the parish throughout this time.

The Card. Pizzaballa entered the Strip yesterday through a secret passage and there is maximum secrecy about the organization and the channels that allowed him to obtain the approval of the Israeli Government and Army, which has been fighting a bloody war in Gaza against Hamas for months. “We must keep in mind that very few people,” continues the patriarch’s spokesman, “whether religious, politicians or ambassadors, have had the opportunity to enter Gaza” and the cardinal “is the first” of this caliber and authority to do so. does. “And it was,” he adds, “to bring a message to the people, to give them a great sign of encouragement.” This morning the cardinal “is still” in the Strip, confirms the spokesperson, and for the moment “it is not yet known if he will return.” [a Jerusalén] today or tomorrow”, prolonging your stay for one more night.

What is certain is “that the parish priest of Gaza, Father Gabriel Romanelli, who accompanies the Patriarch on his visit, will be able to remain with his faithful in the Holy Family.” For months,” emphasizes Farid Jubran, “he was prevented from playing his role” because at the outbreak of the war he was in Bethlehem on October 7 on his way back from Rome and the Israeli authorities had not allowed him until now, despite repeated requests and prayers, to return to his people. “At least they have this encouragement, this element of strength: Pastor Romanelli is absolutely determined to stay.”

On his visit, Patriarch Pizzaballa is accompanied by Frey Alessandro de Franciscis, Grand Hospitaller of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Father Romanelli, missionary of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, and a small delegation. Yesterday, the cardinal presided over mass at the Church of the Holy Family and visited the Greek Orthodox parish of Saint Porphyry, where he met with the archbishop of Gaza, Alexios of Tiberias, and with the parish priest, Father Silas Habib. “The Patriarch,” the spokesman explained, “had wanted to go to Gaza for a long time, there had been several attempts to enter, but this time the opportunity to enter actually presented itself. We can’t give more details about how he got in, where he got in, but the opportunity presented itself and he took advantage of it. We can say with certainty that this visit is the fruit of the work of the Patriarchate and confirms once again the role of bridge, of peace, of the Church, which seeks above all to maintain its presence. As the cardinal stressed yesterday in the homily at the mass, they are going through “many difficult moments, tragic situations,” but they have remained “firm in their free choice to remain on this earth and we are with you.”

“This entire visit,” says Farid Jubran, “is a significant moment for the Patriarch, both personally as a pastor, and for all his people. From the photos I have seen, one of the most emotional moments was the meeting with the elders, then the hug with the vice-parish priest, and again the meeting with the Greek Orthodox bishop in the Saint Porphyry complex. Finally, the visit also represented the first stage of a joint humanitarian mission of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Sovereign Order of Malta (SMOM), in cooperation with Malteser International (an NGO belonging to SMOM) and other partners. This is a joint initiative aimed at providing essential food and medical assistance to the people of Gaza. “The Patriarchate strongly supports this humanitarian project with the Knights of Malta,” the spokesperson concludes, “and we hope that it will continue in the near future.”

(Photo from the Patriarchate of the Latins of Jerusalem)